


One Dream

by disneydork



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Elsamaren Summer 2020 (Disney), F/F, Karaoke, Movie: Frozen (2013), Movie: Frozen 2 (2019), One Shot, Song: A Million Dreams, elsamaren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25313881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disneydork/pseuds/disneydork
Summary: Two years later they sing the song that helped bring them back together.Sequel toA Million DreamsDay 5 of Elsamaren Summer 2020
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 25
Collections: Elsamaren Summer 2020





	One Dream

**Author's Note:**

> So i'm feeling a bit better from my sinus infection even though i can't stay home anymore and have to go back to work tonight but that also means i'm feeling well enough to give you guys long a-s author's notes again! :D
> 
> So last month i was up half the night writing this random oneshot i came up with. So there i was sitting on my bed in the dark just typing it away and thinking, well this is a piece of crap but i spent like 6 hours writing it so might as well share it, maybe i'll delete it later. Surprise! It's still posted and, like everything else i write, the comments were nothing at all like i expected. Just you guys telling me how much you loved it and actually wanted more and it was basically the opposite of a piece of crap. And i was debating on writing more because there's no way in hell i can do the same thing twice. (For the record i actually spent a whole day like 3 weeks ago working on this as opposed to only half a night.)
> 
> But when one of the prompts for the Elsamaren Summer 2020 was AU, that was kind of the sign telling me to do the thing. Most, i believe, were asking for a second bachelorette party; and originally i was gonna do what MrObscure commented on the original oneshot, which was to rewrite it from Maren's POV. But i realized when it came to the song it wouldn't hold the same weight, it would just be Maren standing on stage singing. So i ended up combining the two ideas, making this at a party while also incorporating flashbacks from the oneshot specifically in Maren's POV. i tried to use enough of the flashbacks to reference the original onshot to keep everything like a coherent thought but i leave it up to you guys to decide if it's worth it to read the original oneshot before this or not.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

It was hard to believe that only two years ago they were back in the place where it all began.

Or rather, where it was all reignited.

She remembered so vividly the blonde walking into the Snuggly Duckling. She was so prim and proper as always, like she had just come from a meeting. But then again, Elsa so obviously buried herself into her work. It was one of her greatest assets and also one of her few flaws. But even with her casual work attire, whether she was business as usual or simply casual, Elsa could make any outfit look fantastic. And once the glasses came off and the hair down…. Maren knew she barely had a chance. It had been so difficult to keep up the ruse. She tried longer than she could have cared to admit to. The truth was, it didn’t matter what happened between them in the past. It didn’t matter how much of a workaholic Elsa was. It didn’t matter how different they were. It didn’t matter that Elsa came from a fantastic upbringing with brains, beauty, and a successful career she kicked ass at from the moment she began working while Maren came from the questionable part of town, wore ripped jeans, a motorcycle jacket, and had to work her ass off for anything and everything. All that mattered was the truth.

And the truth was, Maren was and always would be head over heels for Elsa Snow.

_Maren tried so hard not to look at her. But damn if that woman didn’t make it so difficult. Maren had no idea if anyone else even said anything to her. Much as she tried to listen in on Anna, Rapunzel, and Tiana’s conversation the only voice she wanted to hear was Elsa’s. It had been so long since they spoke. The last time was…._

_No. Maren didn’t want to think about that. That was in the past. And they were in the present, specifically for Anna. Regardless of their history, surely they could put their differences aside and focus on the person they both cared about. Maren valued Anna’s friendship immensely or else she would not have shown up to the bachelorette party. Maren thought she could handle seeing her ex again...but clearly she had been mistaken. Maren did everything in her power to avert her gaze, to look anywhere else, to even think about anything else. Yet, before she knew it, the words slipped out of her mouth._

_“Ulikenace.”_

_Or...they quietly exploded into a mess of gibberish that made absolutely no sense._

_Maybe she’d be lucky and Elsa wouldn’t hear._

_Maybe Elsa was too busy actually listening to the conversation in front of them._

_Or the questionable Lady Gaga cover._

_Ugh, which one was worse?_

_Maren pursed her lips, silently praying that Elsa wouldn’t open up those damn soft lips of hers and speak in that seducing siren voice._

_“I’m sorry…?”_

_So much for that._

_Maren awkwardly cleared her throat. There was no going back now, was there? She made sure to raise her voice just enough so Elsa could hear, but secretly hoped that she still didn’t. The last thing Maren needed was to fall back into old habits. The habit that was specifically Elsa and everything wonderful about her._

_“I said, you look nice.”_

_There. She said it. That wasn’t as bad as she thought it’d be._

_“Oh…. Thank you….”_

_At least, Maren thought that’s what Elsa said. It was still a bit too soft. But then again, that was Elsa. She never purposefully commanded attention, nor were scenes like this meant for her. Elsa was in her element when it was just the two of them. Alone at home or at dinner or at the park...somewhere quiet and intimate…where their focus could only be on each other...where they could say or do whatever they wanted...where Maren could just find herself melting into Elsa’s gorgeous blue eyes…._

_“Um...you...you grew your hair out again.”_

_Oh shit, she spoke again. She was actually trying to converse with Maren._

_Don’t look, she told herself, whatever you do don’t fall into that damn spell of hers…._

_Maren bit her tongue and gave a nod before responding. “Yeah…. Yeah, to…. I’m planning on donating to Locks of Love.”_

_She didn’t need to go into more detail than that. As someone who didn’t come from much, of course Maren wanted to give back in any small ways that she could. She had her brother to thank for that, naturally. He was so good-natured that Maren couldn’t help but be inspired by him. It had nothing at all to do with the fact that she secretly hoped it impressed Elsa somehow._

_Or that she wondered what Elsa thought of her having long hair again instead of the shoulder length she did their last encounter._

_“That’s wonderful,” Elsa complimented._

_And just like that, Maren had fallen under Elsa’s spell and was immersed in a conversation with her. Even if it wasn’t the longest or most detailed one, it was the most of her voice she’d heard in a long time. And that, Maren would gladly take._

Now here they were, once again. Conversing at the same table in the same karaoke bar where they rekindled their romance two years ago.

Not much has changed and yet it felt as though everything had changed.

Maren still wore her same signature beanie and her motorcycle jacket. Elsa still looked prim and proper and, as expected, had arrived after finishing work.

But this time Maren’s hair was short again, halting a bit before her shoulders. Elsa came in with her hair down, platinum blonde locks cascading down the sides of her face and framing it perfectly. They didn’t hesitate to greet each other and not once did their eyes break apart. Maren didn’t find herself fighting the urge to look at Elsa or worry about being in the same room as her. In fact, she wanted nothing more than for the two of them to be the only ones in the room.

“You sure I shouldn’t’ve cut it more?” Maren asked. “I think I could’ve given another couple of inches, at least.”

Elsa could only smile and shake her head. “I think this is the perfect length for you,” she complimented, brushing her fingers against the edges of Maren’s locks.

The brunette smirked playfully. “You sure it’s not just cause you wanted some of it, too?”

“Heh.” The blonde could only shrug and slightly turn her gaze away. “Guilty…” she spoke softly as ever.

“How about after we get outta here you can play with it all you want?” Maren offered.

“Pffft! Get a room, you two!” Anna teased from across the table.

“Oh, we will,” Maren smirked.

Elsa gasped and jerked her body back. “Maren!”

She couldn’t help but laugh at Elsa. She never was one to enjoy being the center of attention. Maren, however, thrived in it and would more than gladly take some of the pressure off of her love. “How about we settle for a drink first? My treat this time.” She placed a kiss on her partner’s hand before rising from her chair and approaching the bar on the other side of the building. Maren leaned up against the corner of the counter, elbow popped on top and her hip extenuating to one side.

Not that she could imagine Elsa staring across the room at her behind at all.

She probably was staring, wasn’t she?

“Chocolate martini, please. And a whiskey on the rocks for me,” she told the barkeep.

The gentleman turned around and Maren instantly recognized him.

It wasn’t even his unusually large nose.

Ok, fine, it was kind of his unusually large nose.

And Maren vaguely recalled the goiiter as well.

But it was his surprisingly soft, hopelessly romantic tone.

“Hey there Big Nose,” the brunette teased with a smirk. “Remember me?”

Instantly the bartender’s eyes lit up. “Oh how could I forget you? One half of my favorite customer stories!”

Maren scoffed lightly. “We weren’t that special.”

“That’s what they all say,” Big Nose nodded. “But you know, that’s how some of the best love stories always start out.”

If Maren was being completely honest, she wished she could block all of it out. The original fight was bad enough. She recalled coming home, having just picked up the ring. Maren had completely disregarded her hopes and dreams for her tattoo parlor, only caring about starting her life with Elsa. But then the business trip came up...of course a business trip came up. Something relating to work always did. That was all Elsa did back then. That was all she cared about. Work, work, work. Maren was barely even an afterthought. She was…. She was ashamed to say that at times she felt like nothing.

If only she knew how far from the truth that had been.

Maybe then she wouldn’t have snapped at Elsa the way she did that night.

_Maren was never one for musicals. If she was being completely honest, she kind of hated them. She only ever put up with them because of Elsa. Elsa and her goddamn beautiful voice._

_Though, to be fair, Maren would be lying if she didn’t once in a while give into Anna._

_At least the redhead would make jokes or comments alongside her in the middle of the movie._

_And fine, Anna had a pretty good voice, herself. Maren never completely argued against Anna singing along to Mama Mia when they watched it or the sequel._

_Still, it got real old real fast._

_Not that she should have expected a drink to help drown the music out. But maybe it would help her survive the night. Maren approached the counter, brown eyes briefly scanning the numerous options. She twisted her lips, deep in thought whether she should go with her usual or try something different._

_Not that she ended up having a choice. Because before she could make a decision, a whiskey on the rocks appeared in front of her._

_“Uh…” Maren blinked. “Excuse me, I didn’t…”_

_“It’s already been taken care of,” the bartender held up a finger._

_Maren flinched. “What are you talking about…?”_

_Maren had never been too keen on accepting drinks from strangers. Who knew who was on the other end of them or what was going on through their dirty mind?_

_Besides, even if Maren didn’t have much to her name, she could definitely pay for her own whiskey just fine._

_Big Nose merely smiled and pointed in Elsa’s direction. Maren’s head spun around and she could see the horror in those blue eyes._

_No. No. No. No. Hell no!_

_Whatever the hell Elsa had up her sleeve, it ended now._

_It was bad enough that Maren had to spend a night with her._

_It was bad enough that Maren had to constantly be reminded of the woman she left._

_It was bad enough that Maren had to remember the hurt and experience it over and over again because for the love of god she could not take her eyes off that damn goddess._

_It ended now._

_“What the hell???” she demanded, storming back._

_Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out._

_Not that Maren ended up giving her much of a chance._

_“You really think you can make things better with a drink? Do you really think that’s enough?”_

_“I...I just thought…” Elsa stammered._

_Was she serious? She just thought? Was that really the best response she could come up with? No. Maren was not going to take that shit anymore. She wasn’t going to keep putting up with this. She wasn’t going to risk going through this all over again. She couldn’t continue to be haunted by the beautiful ghost of her past. She let herself dwell on it for far too long and she drowned herself in her misery, sorrow, and pity. This ended now._

_“That’s just it! You thought. That’s all you do. You thought about work. You thought about your projects. You thought about the money. You thought about Anna. You thought about the stupid, little things. But you never thought about me!” she argued._

_“I...I did…” Elsa started._

_“No!” Maren fought. “You didn’t. You were so caught up thinking about your own life that you never thought about my life._ Our _life!”_

_It hit closer to home than Maren would have liked to admit. But even when they ended things before, Maren said fewer things than she cared for. She had wanted to say so much more to Elsa. She had wanted to make the woman feel as low, useless, pitiful, and forgotten as Maren did. But in the end she had only been able to say so much. After all that time of hiding it away and bottling it up, Maren was done holding back._

_“I did think about our life!” Elsa insisted, rising from her seat. “I’ve thought about it every day!”_

_“Well you sure have a funny way of showing it,” Maren sneered. But knowing full well Elsa could devise some sort of comeback, Maren decided to end it then and there. Even if there was more she could have said, even if there was more anger and frustration to get out, in the end she couldn’t bring herself to do it. All she wanted to do was get the hell out of there. “You know what? Don’t worry about it. And don’t worry about me. I’m done. With both of you.”_

Maren didn’t have the words for it.

Oh sure, she had some.

Ashamed, disappointed, and an asshole all came to mind.

What she wouldn’t have given to remove that chapter from their story completely.

The brunette picked up her gaze and allowed it to wander to the stage. Tiana had just taken the microphone and was proudly singing her jam over Rapnuzel’s overly loud cheering. Maren attempted to hide a smirk. At least there were some things about that night that were pleasant. Watching her friends sing in front of a ton of random strangers - and actually decently, unlike many of the other patrons - was always a thrill.

_In the South Land there’s a city_

_Way down on the river_

_Where the women are very pretty_

_And all the men deliver_

_They got music_

_It’s always playin_

_Start in the day time_

_And go all through the night_

_And when you hear that music playing_

_Hear what I’m sayin_

_Make you feel alright_

“Hey Big Nose, what about you?” Maren inquired. “You got a story, too?”

The bartender blinked. “Who, me?”

“Well yeah,” Maren nodded, turning to him. “I mean; you were definitely invested in mine. And you sound like you’ve seen a lot of love stories happen here.”

A faint blush covered his cheeks and he shook his head. “Nah...I’m, I’m just the mixer with a passion for romance.”

“Truth?” Maren shrugged her shoulder. She offered a somewhat shy smile. “I never thought I was much for romance either. I did what I had to to get by. I didn’t get involved with anyone. Not seriously. I had one dream. I wanted to open a tattoo parlor. I thought that was all I needed. Just me, a small staff, some designs, my needle…. Some people don’t have much to their names. But they always have their bodies. And sometimes that’s all we have to express ourselves with. For a while, that’s all I had. I had this crazy idea about doing a whole tattoo sleeve. Every time I felt like I did something good with my life, I’d add some ink there. And I could look at it and remember that I made something of myself. That I’m worth it.”

Big Nose leaned forward eagerly. “Ooooo I love a good romance story!”

Maren rolled her eyes lightly. “Thing is though, I never went through with it. Turned out someone came and turned that all around. Before I knew it, I didn’t have just one dream. I had a shitload of them. It was pretty amazing. We’d talk all the time about the house we’d live in, what kind of pet we’d get first, what we’d name it, where we’d live, where we wanted to travel to, how many kids we’d have…. Suddenly I had this crazy idea about just wanting to showcase everything about our life together. It’d be on my arm for everyone to see no matter where we went. And...before I knew it...I was back to just having one dream.”

She turned her body back towards the table. She saw Elsa get up to congratulate her friend on her song, soft smile and bright blue eyes. She was saying something and then Anna gave her a tug. Elsa shook her hands, as if to tell Anna no. Suddenly, Rapunzel linked arms with Anna and they ran up to the stage to take the microphone. Elsa threw her head forward, though whether she was groaning or trying to stifle a laugh, Maren couldn’t say for sure. Tiana, however, just folded her arms and raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘here we go again’.

And as Elsa sat down and pulled some hair behind her ear, the faintest hint of ink became visible.

Though, to be fair, Maren was trained to observe.

And the fact that it was a dark shade of honey against such bright skin didn’t hurt either.

There, in a small cursive font on the nape of Elsa’s neck, read _a million dreams_. 

Maren’s hand instinctively moved up to just over her own heart, specifically between there and the collarbone.

Because there, underneath her jacket, in a shade identical to Elsa’s eyes, was a matching tattoo.

They had gotten them shortly after getting back together.

Though it had been tempting to pick up right where they left off - Maren did still have the ring, after all - they mutually agreed to take it one step at a time.

After all, Maren was going to have her hands full saving up again for her parlor and Elsa was to begin searching for a new job.

They had to start somewhere but, nevertheless, wanted to symbolize their commitment to each other.

It sounded so sappy once Maren realized how much of it she had said out loud. Shaking her head, she let out a chuckle to herself and then turned back to Big Nose.

“You’ll find your one dream, too,” she assured him.

The barkeep smiled and handed Maren the glasses. “It’s on the house. Congratulations.”

Maren offered him a smile before returning to the table. As she approached she heard that goddamn catchy tune again.

What she wouldn’t give to erase those lyrics from her mind simply because of how overplayed they were.

Dammit Anna.

Also dammit Rapunzel for not only encouraging it but also jumping into it.

_Just one look and I can hear a bell ring_

_One more look and I forget everything_

_Mama mia, here I go again_

_My, my, how can I resist you?_

_Mama mia, does it show again_

_My, my, just how much I missed you?_

“Don’t they ever get tired of that damn song?” Maren asked sitting down.

“Hey, it beats the time she constantly belted out Let It Go,” Tiana commented.

Elsa groaned. “I swear if Anna sings both of those songs tonight I am going to need at least three more of these.”

Maren couldn’t resist chuckling at Elsa as the blonde took a long sip of her martini. “I think I can make that happen. We are celebrating, after all.”

Elsa swallowed. “Yes, but I would like to actually remember this night.” She looked up and cringed at her relatives. “Ooooh, except for _that_.”

Maren followed Elsa’s gaze to Anna and Rapunzel who were doing very questionable air guitar movements during the bridge.

The brunette burst out laughing on the spot. Finally, something to make the song more entertaining!

“What is so funny about that?” Elsa gasped. “There is no place in Mama Mia for...for _that_!”

Maren attempted and failed to calm her laughter. “Elsa, I love you, but for the love of god, for once take a cue from Anna and let it go,” she teased kissing the side of her head.

“Oh fuck, no,” the blonde shook her head. “I’m getting another martini now.”

“Bring back a margarita, please?” Tiana called. “If I’m gonna get up there again I need something fierce!”

Get up there again, Maren thought to herself.

Now wouldn’t that be something?

If she could get up there once more and take Elsa back to that moment in time.

The moment where, it didn’t matter what had happened with them in the past, what had just transpired between them, what either of them were feeling, where they were, or even what they were doing. It was just the two of them coming back together. Like they were in the home they once shared singing along to The Greatest Showman.

Because as much as it drove Maren crazy, she would sing the soundtrack a hundred times over if it meant hearing Elsa’s voice.

If it meant even hearing a glimpse of her voice.

_It was a shock to see Elsa actually come up on stage with her. Maren had intended...actually, she wasn’t entirely sure what she intended. She just knew she was going to sing the damn song and get the hell out of there. But it was even more of a shock to hear Elsa the way she sang in that moment._

_For once her voice wasn’t perfect._

_It was shaky._

_It was throaty._

_It was begging._

_It was vulnerable._

_It was a quality that Elsa tried so hard to keep locked away. So many times Maren had tried to see that side of the blonde. She wanted Elsa to open up to her more. She wanted to know Elsa not just at her best, but also at her worst. She wanted to be there through everything and more. All those times Elsa did such an incredible job of...not exactly shutting Maren out...but trying to protect herself when she didn’t even need to. And suddenly, in that moment, Elsa was bearing it all. Everything was out on the table._

_Every time Elsa took a step forward, Maren took a step back. She wasn’t ready for that. Not then. Not so suddenly. Not after all that time. Elsa had so many opportunities before then. She had years before that moment. Suddenly she chose the middle of Maren’s song, during Anna’s bachelorette party? Maren was not ready for that._

_Yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of Elsa._

_Nor could she fodder during the song._

_Somehow, even caught off guard the way she was, Maren remembered exactly when to sing._

_Still her eyes remained glued to Elsa’s. Should she believe her? What if they did pick it up again? What would happen this time? Maren couldn’t get hurt, not again. But when Elsa refused to look away, Maren knew that Elsa wasn’t lying. She heard the sincerity in her voice. She saw the fire behind her eyes. She saw…._

_She saw the love._

_For the first time in forever she saw the love again._

_She could have very well melted on the spot, yet she kept singing. Her voice overlapped perfectly with Elsa’s, notes blending together in pristine harmony as if they’d rehearsed it a thousand times over. Finally, Maren willed herself to step forward. She sang with more power than she thought imaginable. She sang with more heart than she ever did. She sang with pure conviction. For that moment, that one fleeting moment, she would have given anything for the last line to be true. To make it a reality with Elsa._

_They were so close. Close enough to…._

_But in the end, Maren couldn’t bring herself to do it._

_And she ran._

“Sooooooo?”

Maren’s mind was jerked back to the present. She sat up straight and Anna all but jumped into her chair across from her friend. The redhead grinned widely, freckles practically popping off of her cheeks.

“When are you gonna get up there?” she encouraged.

What was she now, a mind reader?

Maren scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

“C’mon, Mare!” Anna reached over and shook her arm. “You should do your song!’

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! It’s not my song,” Maren jerked her arm away.

Anna narrowed her gaze.

“I mean it’s just a song.”

A raised eyebrow.

“It’s not like I _have_ to.”

Pursed lips.

“Oh come on, Anna!”

“Oooo, I think she’s got you there,” Rapunzel noticed. “Yup, you’re totally gonna be going up there again.”

“I don’t know,” Maren replied.

Anna smiled innocently. “Sing it for Elsa?”

Oh shit.

Dammit Anna.

“You know, sometimes I really hate you,” Maren deadpanned.

“Pffft! You know you love me,” she giggled. “I mean I was the one who basically got you guys back together. It was my bachelorette party, I invited you guys, I picked the song for you in the first place, hell I ran to the car to get that check while you guys were singing to each other looking like you were about to ….”

“Ok, I think that’s enough,” Rapunzel giggled, covering Anna’s mouth. “Even though it totally was the best bachelorette party ever. I mean, come on! It had everything! It had drinks, it had romance, it had drama, it had a huuuuuge declaration, I mean did you even hear the applause or were you guys just too busy actually making out like a couple of…”

Tiana moved from Anna’s side to Rapunzel’s, taking her turn to cover someone’s mouth. “How about you just go get your girl?” she suggested with a wink.

“Heh.” Maren offered a crooked smile. Finally, something she could get behind. “That’s the best idea anyone’s had all night.”

Pushing herself out of the chair, Maren strode up the stage and approached the man controlling the karaoke machine. She told him which song she’d be singing and he obliged by clicking the button with...was that a hook for a hand? Huh.

Shrugging it off, Maren moved to the center of the stage where one of the mike stands was located. Maren cleared her throat and quickly located Elsa by the bar counter. “This goes out to my fiancé,” she announced before the instrumentals started playing.

She was sure even under the dimmed lights she could see Elsa’s face turn hot pink. But Maren could care less. She looked gorgeous all the same. And this time, she was going to sing to her from the start.

_I close my eyes and I can see_

_The world that’s waiting up for me_

_That I call my own_

_Through the dark, through the door_

_Through where no one’s been before_

_But it feels like home_

She started out softly at first, not actually trying to command attention. Though Maren could so easily raise her voice and make everyone focus on her, she only cared about one person. And she wanted that one person to know that she was not just the inspiration behind the song, but the reason for it.

_They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy_

_They can say, they can say I’ve lost my mind_

_I don’t care, I don’t care, so call me crazy_

_We can live in a world that we design_

She could see Elsa pull her lips in, as if it would help her contain her emotions at all. And if that’s how it was going to be, then Maren was sure as hell going to give her something to get emotional about. She raised her voice slightly as she began the chorus.

_Cause every night I lie in bed_

_The brightest colors fill my head_

_A million dreams are keeping me awake_

_I think of what the world could be_

_A vision of the one I see_

_A million dreams is all it’s gonna take_

_A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make_

She made sure to point out Elsa to everyone, causing a few heads to turn in the blonde’s direction. Maren didn’t pay any mind as to whether Elsa took notice of them or not. As far as she could tell, her eyes were glued to Maren. Exactly where they should be. Smirking, Maren approached the other stand and removed the mike. She kept the first one in her hand, continuing onto the second verse.

_There’s a house we can build_

_Every room inside is filled_

_With things from far away_

_Special things I compile_

_Each one there to make you smile_

_On a rainy day_

She began descending the few stairs, leaving the confines of the stage. Maren’s eyes remained focused on Elsa as she made her way around the tables and through the crowd to reach her love.

_They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy_

_They can say, they can say we’ve lost our minds_

_I don’t care, I don’t care if they call us crazy_

_Run away to a world that we design_

As she neared, she could see Elsa’s hand jump over her heart.

That’s right, she’d better damn well be melting the exact same way Maren did every time Elsa opened her mouth.

Maren was going to milk this for all it was worth.

_Every night I lie in bed_

_The brightest colors fill my head_

_A million dreams are keeping me awake_

She held out her hand, the distance nearly closed between them. Somehow she managed to grasp the handle of the microphone between her palm and smallest fingers, leaving the remaining ones extended out to Elsa. Elsa remained on the bar stool where she had perched herself before, looking as if she would pass out if she stood. Maren could only smile as she continued singing. She managed to brush her pointer finger against Elsa’s hand, and that seemed to be all it took for the blonde to take her love’s hold. Maren pulled Elsa out of her seat and she could feel her hand cover a portion of hers as well as the mike.

_I think of what the world could be_

_A vision of the one I see_

_A million dreams is all it’s gonna take_

As if her smirk could grow any bigger, Marens stepped in closer, nearly closing the space between them completely. She never saw Elsa smile so wide in her life, not since the night they reunited. 

_A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make_

Before she knew it, the microphone was up against Elsa’s lips. She began singing softly into it, but kept her eyes fixated on Maren.

_However big, however small_

_Let me be part of it all_

She moved the microphone to her free hand, using her original one to take Maren’s now bare one in hers. Elsa steadily began leading the brunette back towards the stage, walking backwards as if her eyes could not be on anything else.

_Share your dreams with me_

She somehow made it up the first step, and then the second, almost in sync with the next line. 

_We may be right, we may be wrong_

The two returned to the stage, profiles to the audience. Maren’s smirk became a full-blown grin as Elsa sang the next line, never feeling as if truer words were spoken.

Or sung.

_Say that you’ll bring me along_

_To the world you see_

They sang together, moving their foreheads close so they were nearly pressed against each other.

_To the world I close my eyes to see_

_I close my eyes to see_

They pulled apart and Maren circled around Elsa, moving behind her. Almost as quickly as she moved, the blonde spun on her heel to follow Maren’s every move. Somehow they ended up with their backs to each other. Maren felt herself lean against Elsa’s frame, almost forgetting that she was the shorter one.

Ironic considering Maren was the one who carried so much confidence about herself.

Maren sang the next two lines, softly and breathy, followed by an identical if not slightly quieter tone from Elsa.

_Every night I lie in bed_

_The brightest colors fill my head_

_A million dreams are keeping me awake_

She could hear the last note in Elsa rise, aiming for the highest note the woman could make.

What was it, an E flat? E something?

Yet somehow it was so soft and pure as though an angel were singing it.

Maren could only dream of hitting such a glorious note.

She may not have been able to hit it, nor was she going to try, but she was certainly going to match the conviction.

_A million dreams_

_A million dreams_

Then, very quickly as their voices matched in harmony, Maren spun around and grabbed Elsa’s free hand with hers. She twirled Elsa under her arm - once again, completely ignoring the height difference. But it seemed to make no difference to Elsa. Her body was trained to bend and move to Maren’s every whim, as if the two of them were puzzle pieces that were made to fit together.

_I think of what the world could be_

_A vision of the one I see_

As their hands separated, Maren bowed to Elsa and the blonde responded in almost a perfect marriage of a bow and a curtsey. As soon as she stood upright, she flurried around Maren as if she were encasing her in a dance of actual snow.

_A million dreams is all it’s gonna take_

Maren quickly rotated, lightly throwing her arm around Elsa’s waist and sliding her back into her form.

Their notes slowly escalated until they both reached their highest point, neither purposefully trying to overpower the other as much as they were merely trying to leave it all out there for everyone to hear.

_A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make_

Finally, they each let out a breath. Once again, their foreheads made contact again and Maren could feel Elsa’s hot breath against her lips.

God what she wouldn’t give to just take that woman right then and there.

Almost inaudible, as if that final time was meant for no one else to hear, the final line escaped their lips before they crashed into each other.

_For the world we’re gonna make_

Everything else became completely silent to them. The wild cheers meant nothing. The crowd of people watching them was nonexistent. Maren’s arm wrapped tighter around Elsa’s waist, as if it craved to pull her in closer to her. And she was almost certain she felt Elsa’s nails dig into her motorcycle jacket.

God, this was light years better compared to the last time they sang that song.

Maren could still recall Elsa’s speech verbatim that night. She remembered everything about it from the way Elsa grabbed the check from Anna to the sudden grab of Maren’s shoulder to the look of desperation behind those blue eyes.

_“I’ve been holding onto this for two years, three months, and six days. I was going to give it to you on our trip. For your tattoo parlor. I knew how close you were. I wanted…I wanted to do it for you. I worked. I worked nonstop. I worked too much. I worked for you. Because I wanted you to have your parlor, Maren. I wanted to get it for you. I still want to get it for you. I’ll pay for the whole thing if you’ll let me. I know it can’t bring back any of the time we lost. I know it can’t possibly be enough to make things right. I was just willing to do anything to make your dream a reality. So much so that I overworked to make all of our dreams a reality. But none of that work, none of this, is worth it if it costs me you. I want our million dreams, Maren. I want them all with you. But if only one of them can be a reality…. I know what my one dream is. It’s not to work at my firm. It’s not to design grandiose buildings. Or to travel. Or to live in a mansion. It’s you, Maren. And I’m so, so sorry it took me all this time to realize that. Maren Naturra, will you please take this check to make your one dream a reality?”_

What a fool Maren had been. A fool to ever doubt for a second how much Elsa truly cared.

Of course Elsa was a workaholic. Of course she was a perfectionist. Of course she took her job seriously. Of course she wanted to go above and beyond with what she did.

But it had never been for herself.

It had been for them.

For Maren.

Elsa would have given everything to make Maren’s dream a reality. To make their dreams a reality.

Just in the way that Maren had so willingly given up her dream to make Elsa hers.

Now here they were, back where they started. Everything had come full circle.

No, Maren didn’t let Elsa pay for the entire parlor.

But they did come to an agreement that Elsa would save the original amount while Maren would work to make up the rest.

Elsa put in her two-week’s notice at the firm upon completion of her last project. Six months ago she earned a job working for a nonprofit organization; her first major project would be assisting in the construction of a playground. Elsa was to not only use her eyes for the composition - figuring out the prime location for each setting - but also to construct a centerpiece.

Maren rented a chair at a local tattoo parlor and was not only continuously building her portfolio, but also a month or so’s paycheck away from her goal. She was already scouting out locations and coordinating business plans.

She and Elsa would remain in their current studio apartment for a few years. Their next goal was to save up for a belated honeymoon; though they were still debating between the many locations they wanted to visit. Hawaii? Canada? Norway? Germany? Barcelona?

The latter two for obviously chocolate reasons.

Maybe they’d compromise and just take a cross-country road trip instead.

Maren personally didn’t care just as long as she was with Elsa.

As they slowly pulled apart, Maren found herself tempted to do just what Elsa did to her two years ago. To make a grand speech in front of everyone. Make a scene of how much the woman before her truly meant to her before pulling her in for another heated kiss.

Oh but as tempting as that was, Maren simply didn’t have the flair for language the way Elsa did.

Not to mention it didn’t help that she could hear Anna screaming at the top of her lungs from the crowd, “BEST. BACHELORETTE. PARTY. EVER! FOR REAL!!!”

Maren let out a chuckle as her embarrassed fiancé leaned forward, forehead against Maren’s shoulder. The brunette shook her head and took the opportunity to make sure both arms were wrapped around her. Not caring how close the microphones were to either of them, whether anyone could hear or not, or even that they were still center stage; she tilted her head so she could speak softly yet with the faintest husky tone into Elsa’s ear.

“Our million dreams start next week.”

She sealed the promise with a kiss.

Elsa could only smile and shake her head. She turned it so she could once again attach herself to Maren’s brown eyes; the ones that Elsa claimed were as bright as honey.

Huh. No wonder she chose that shade for her tattoo.

“No million dreams,” she whispered. “Just the one dream.”

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone else was thinking it, yes it's unwritten that Maren and Elsa invite Big Nose the bartender to their wedding. He is VERY invested in their relationship lol.
> 
> Please don't forget to check out what everyone else has written for Elsamaren Summer 2020, they are all absolutely amazing and are just such a wonderful fandom to be a part of! <3


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